Man Charged With Trafficking 14-Year-Old out of Dallas

A Dallas man has been charged with trafficking a 14-year-old child who was recovered at a local hotel, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Prerak Shah.

Anthony Lennell Acy, 33, was charged via criminal complaint with one count of child sex trafficking on Wednesday. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rebecca Rutherford on Wednesday.

“Child sex trafficking is one of the most vile crimes we see in north Texas. This defendant allegedly used and abused a middle-school-aged child for monetary gain,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Prerak Shah. “We are thankful that the North Texas Trafficking Task Force was able to not only apprehend the perpetrator, but also recover the victim and get her to safety.”

“Apprehending human traffickers that take advantage of our most vulnerable and rescuing those exploited will always be a top priority for HSI,” said Ryan L. Spradlin, special agent in charge HSI Dallas. “We will go to no end to combat the scourge that is human trafficking and the members of the North Texas Trafficking Task Force will never relent until every trafficker is behind bars and every victim is rescued.”

According to the criminal complaint, Mr. Acy allegedly trafficked at least two women, including a 14-year-old girl, out of a hotel off LBJ Freeway in Dallas.  

The North Texas Trafficking Taskforce, led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), arrested Mr. Acy as he was leaving the hotel, where they also recovered the 14-year-old Jane Doe inside a room on the second floor.  She was immediately transported to the Dallas Children's Advocacy Center.

Jane Doe later told investigators that Mr. Acy ordered her to engage in commercial sex, forcing her to earn $1,000 a day, with all proceeds turned over to him. She said Mr. Acy physically assaulted her on multiple occasions and deprived her of food and shelter. 

Investigators reviewed online advertisements, allegedly posted by Mr. Acy, that featured pictures of Jane Doe and offered various sexual services.

He was on bond for a state trafficking charge filed by Travis County when he was arrested by the feds.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of wrongdoing, not evidence. Like all defendants, Mr. Acy is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

If convicted, he faces up to life in federal prison. 

The North Texas Trafficking Task Force, led by Homeland Security Investigations, conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, the Colleyville Police Department, and the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebekah Ricketts is prosecuting the case.